Ball-caster.



No. 877,236. PATENTED JAN. 21 1908. M. RYAN.

I BALL GASTBR. APPLICATION FILED AU(}.14, 1907.

avwenl oz revoluble in any direction,

UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN Ml RYAN, or OBERLIN, 01110 BALL-CASTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1908.

Application filed August 14(1907. Serial No. 3138;525-

To all whom timer concern:

- Be it known that I, MARTIN RYAN, a

readily moved about; and the object of the invention is to provide a caster of simple and improved construction in which the support ing member consists of a ball which is readily so that swiveling" motion of the caster will not be needed in order to move the articles supported thereon in anydirection.

.The invention further consists proved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention; it being, that no limitation 'is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,

ut that changes, alterations and modificationswithin the scope of the invention may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a caster constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the blank used in the formation of the ball supporting cage. 7

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference;

, The ball supporting cage of the improved caster is preferably stamped or formed of a piece. of sheet metal from which is cut a lank A which includes a central portion 1 havin three equidistant outwardly extending 10 es 2. each provided With a radially extendin "spur 3. The ball supporting cage is fornie by\ bendin 'the lobes 2-2 down- Ward from t e central of Lorain and State of fcaved as shown in the draw ngs,

in the imhowever, understood ortion 1; theedges of I 5() said lobes being hent s, ightly outward to fa- .cilitate the insertion of connecting pins 44 upon which rollers 5-5 are mounted for rotation; said rollers being preferably "conand made of suitable length to space .the edges of the lugs properly apart. The ball 6' which may be made of glass, stoneware, metal such as steel, or other suitable material, is made of suitable dimensions to bear a sides of the rollers 5 and sai ball is retained in position by bending the spurs 3-3 in the direction of the vertical axis of the ball. I It ainst the under will be seen that there will be 1practically no strain upon the spurs 3 Whic are utilized only, or mainly, to prevent the ball from dropping out of the cage when the caster is' raised from the floor. The pins through said spurs may be made quite'li ht, so as to be easily bent and adjusted in t e manufacture of the caster.

The ballcontaining cage is provided with a shank 7 which is preferably threaded so as to be readily a plied to the'leg of a table or other piece of urniture and said shank may be surrounded by'a'ferrule 8.

From the foregoing description taken in.

connection with the drawings hereto an nexed, the o eration and advantages of this invention Wll be readil understood. It is simple, inexpensive, an thoroughly efficient for the purposes for which it is rovided.

Havin thus fully described t e invention, what is c aimed as new is;-

A caster comprising a ca" econsistin of a central body portion having obes bent, ownwardly therefrom and provided .with radially extending bendable spurs, pins extending through and connectingthe edges of the lobes, rollers supported for rotation upon the pins, said rollers having enlarged ends and a reduced central portion, and a ball engaging the rollers and, retained between the bendable spurs.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature I LOUIS E. BUReNEn, HARRIET? E. D. BURGNER. 

